The Horrible Sad Truth
by thecakemasterofpanem
Summary: What does the Voice want? For real? It's so terrifying and hopeless that Emily isn't even sure she'll be able to stop him. Oneshot that just happened to cross my mind.


_"Emily,"_ came a soft breeze. _"Emily,"_ it called. _"Let me see your sweet face,"_ whispered the air. The tired girl could feel it nudge cooly against her face, stirring her red locks.

"Daddy?" she answered to the wind, half-whispering, half-whimpering.

_"Come to me my child,"_ it breathed in reply.

A faint smile grew on the girl's lips, but quickly faded when a bright light pierced the peaceful darkness and forced her brown eyes open. But the light was not the sun, nor was it the electricity; it was the eerie glow of the Voice's inhuman features. Emily screamed and flew backward as her mind assumed she was truly awake instead of dreaming.

The Voice smiled widely and glided about her saying, _"Relax, my dear. It is not the end of the world just yet. We still need to develop the plot a little further."_

She glared at him through a curtain of her hair and uttered coldly, "What do you want? I thought you were done showing yourself to me."

The humanoid steered itself through the masses of statues lining the throne room, intent on misleading her. _"I thought I should give you a few hints before leaving you to make your own reckless decisions."_

"I'm not reckless," she sneered under her breath.

_"Oh, but you are, my precious girl. You forget that you are still but a child. You do what you think is best based on the ideas of your petty chaperones and you do not think for yourself. And that is why I need you to be my body."_

Emily froze in terror.

_"Ah, yes,"_ the Voice continued when he noticed her reaction. _"It is very difficult to find a good host. Many have not surpassed my standards and therefore have crumbled under their own strength. The Elf Prince was quite suitable compared to the rest of them, but he was never my _real_ target. You on the other hand, are _far_ more desirable."_

These words of torment made the girl immensely furious. She propelled herself upward to stand defiantly in the direction of her stone's essence. "You can't do that!" she shouted with a strong will.

The slithering humanoid's grin diminished and he barreled forward, his empty face two inches from hers. Slowly, those black lips formed three small but menacing words: _"And why not?"_

Resisting the temptation to back away, Emily spoke the best reply that her twelve-year-old thoughts could muster.

"I won't let you."

The ringing of ugly laughter immediately filled the chamber once her statement was complete. It echoed into the dark wet hallways and triggered responding sneers and giggles from the Voice's subjects.

_"I think it is about time you know the truth, precious Emily."_ The ominous creature manuvered toward the statues and waved its slender hand, causing most of the stone sculptures to evaporate into nothingness and leaving behind the ones that represented her friends and family. _"I can kill you whenever I please,"_ said the Voice. The magenta ribbons engraved on its body glowed brighter. _"You were never in control. You aren't. I just let you think you are."_

Emily found this confusing. "If you want to win this war so bad, why haven't you just killed me already and use my corpse like you are with the Elf King?"

_"Because that would be too easy. If I killed you off right away, this wouldn't have been nearly as much fun."_

"You're disgusting."

_"It's a difficult business my young slave, but I admire it so. I want to see the moment when every living being in this universe is as hopeful as they can possibly be, and then in a split-second it disappears just like their lives."_

The girl reviewed her options. If she dies, he'll use her body. If she lives, he'll kill her anyway or mess with her until she gives in. If she gives in, everyone she loves will be as good as dead.

_"So you realize that you cannot win. I can destroy this whole planet and earth in a single blow."_

She found it annoying that the black figure had easily penetrated her thoughts. "I'll never stop fighting you, now matter how hard it is."

_"Then I'll save you and your pathetic assembly for last."_ The Voice hovered to a statue of Navin. _"I'll hunt each of you one by one for the pleasure of it."_ Wispy jet black fingers wrapped around Navin's head and crushed it thoroughly. It moved to Karen's statue and did the same. _"I'll whisper in your minds until you all go mad and kill yourselves just to get away from me."_ Leon's head crumbled to the floor and dissolved in a puddle. The next carving was of Trellis. The Voice sensed Emily's sudden burst of dread that appeared and disappeared on her face in a fraction of a second.

_"I understand you have feelings for this one,"_ the lowly form hissed.

The stonekeeper remained still and silent.

_"I'll be sure to chase him to you so you both have a goodbye kiss before I split his skull. Then I'll take you, chase you to the ends of this world if I have to, and I'll torture you so slowly and intimately that you'll beg for death!"_

"SHUT UP! IF YOU WEREN'T SUCH A JERK, MAYBE I'D GO WITH YOU!" The read head clenched her fists and sucked in air heavily with the force of her anger.

The Voice said nothing.

"I'm twelve," Emily continued, "but to you all I am is an easy target."

Again, there was silence except for the faint sound of water dripping from the cieling.

Finally, the humanoid said quietly, _"No Emily. I love you because you give me a reason to exist."_ Then he was gone.

The exhausted girl launched forward in her bed and glanced fearfully around her room to make sure no one was in there with her. If she hadn't known how sinister her stone truly was, she almost would have thought its last remark was sincere.


End file.
